Character Sketch: Going Places | English Class 12 PDF Download

Character Sketch of Sophie

• Escapist – Sophie is an escapist who uses her vivid imagination to escape the harsh realities of her working-class life.
• Romantic Dreamer – She is a romantic dreamer with high aspirations, fantasizing about glamorous and sophisticated careers like being a manager, actress, or fashion designer.
• Naive – Sophie is naive, struggling to differentiate between reality and her dreams, leading her to believe in her own fantasies.
• Idealistic – She has an idealistic view of life and the world, often imagining a future far removed from her current circumstances.
• Imaginative – Sophie’s rich imagination allows her to create elaborate fantasies, such as meeting her idol Danny Casey, to cope with her mundane existence.
• Disappointed – Her inability to fulfill these fantasies often leaves her feeling disappointed and burdened by the gap between her dreams and reality.
• Alienated – Sophie feels alienated from her family and finds solace only in her older brother Geoff, whom she sees as a potential ally in her quest for a better life.

Sophie is an escapist who uses her vivid imagination to flee from the harsh realities of her working-class life. As a romantic dreamer, she has high aspirations, imagining herself in sophisticated roles such as a manager, actress, or fashion designer, despite working in a biscuit factory. Her naivety makes it difficult for her to draw the fine line between reality and her dreams, leading her to believe in her own fantasies. Sophie’s idealistic view of life and the world often leads her to dream of a future far removed from her current circumstances. Her rich imagination enables her to create elaborate fantasies, such as meeting her idol Danny Casey and imagining a date with him. However, when these fantasies do not materialize, she feels disappointed and burdened by the gap between her dreams and reality. Alienated from her family, she finds solace only in her older brother Geoff, whom she sees as a potential ally in her quest for a better life. Sophie’s story is a poignant portrayal of a young girl’s struggle to reconcile her dreams with the reality of her life, highlighting the pain of unfulfilled aspirations and the enduring hope for a better future.

Character Sketch of Jansie

• Realistic – Jansie is considerably more realistic and grounded in her expectations about life than her friend Sophie.
• Pessimistic – She has a pessimistic outlook, fully aware of the limitations and bleak future prospects that come with their working-class status.
• Gossipmonger – Jansie is noted as a gossip, someone who enjoys sharing news and finds it hard to keep secrets.
• Melancholy – She feels melancholy knowing that both she and Sophie are destined for the biscuit factory, reflecting her resigned acceptance of their fate.
• Loyal Friend – Despite her realistic and sometimes pessimistic view, Jansie remains a loyal friend to Sophie, providing a contrasting perspective to her friend’s dreams.

Jansie, portrayed as the frame character in A. R. Barton’s story ‘Going Places,’ is a realistic and grounded individual. Unlike her friend Sophie, Jansie has a more practical and pessimistic outlook on life, fully aware of the limitations and bleak future prospects that come with their working-class status. She is characterized by her realism, understanding that both she and Sophie are “earmarked for the biscuit factory,” a truth that makes her feel melancholy. Jansie is also known as a gossipmonger, someone who enjoys sharing news and finds it hard to keep secrets, adding a layer of complexity to her character. Despite her realistic and sometimes pessimistic view, Jansie remains a loyal friend to Sophie, providing a contrasting perspective to Sophie’s dreams and aspirations. Her grounded nature and resigned acceptance of their fate highlight the stark differences between the two friends, making Jansie a pivotal character in understanding the social dynamics and emotional landscape of the story.

Character Sketch of Danny Casey

• Prodigy – Danny Casey is an Irish wonderboy of football, admired for his exceptional talent.
• Beloved – He has won the hearts of countless fans, including Sophie’s family, who are obsessed with his skills.
• Role Model – Compared to great players like Tom Finney, Sophie’s family hopes Casey will achieve similar greatness.
• Focused – Casey is admired for his ability to stay focused and perform well despite distractions.
• Inspiring – His success inspires Sophie’s admiration and dreams, making him a central figure in her fantasies.
• Gentle and Kind – In Sophie’s imagination, Casey is gentle, with soft eyes, and kind towards her.
• Symbolic – The fantasy version of Danny Casey represents Sophie’s own dreams of success, making her feel her ambitions are attainable.

Danny Casey, an Irish prodigy, is a wonderboy of football who has captured the hearts of countless fans with his exceptional talent. Playing for United, he is greatly admired by Sophie’s family, who see him as a future great like Tom Finney. Casey’s ability to stay focused and perform well on the field makes him a role model, especially for Sophie, who adores him and has a romantic fascination for the Irish star.

Sophie’s family’s weekly trips to watch United play highlight their admiration, particularly when they witness Casey’s brilliance in action. For Sophie, Casey is more than just a football star; he embodies her dreams and aspirations. In her imagination, he is gentle and kind, sharing her ambitions. This version of Casey symbolizes Sophie’s own dreams of success, making her feel that her goals are within reach. Despite her eventual disappointment when her fantasies don’t materialize, her admiration for Casey remains a significant part of her hopes for the future.

Character Sketch of Geoff

Character Sketch of Sophie’s Father

• Hardworking – Sophie’s father works in uncompromising conditions to provide for his family, representing the lower middle class.
• Practical – He has practical expectations, wanting Sophie to contribute to the family by buying a new house if she earns money.
• Self-Centered – He is shown as self-centered, prioritizing his own relaxation and interests over family time and responsibilities.
• Short-Tempered – He has a short temper, often chastising Sophie for her “wild stories” and dismissing her ambitions.
• Imposing – His children are scared of him, suggesting he is an imposing figure with a drinking problem and a temper.
• Indulgent – Despite his financial condition, he indulges in watching football matches and celebrating at the pub.
• Antagonistic – He acts as the antagonist in the story, opposing Sophie’s dreams and ambitions.

Sophie’s father is a hardworking man, representing the archetype of a lower middle-class father who toils in uncompromising conditions to provide for his family. He returns home each night dirty and sweaty, indicating his involvement in manual labor. Despite his hard work, he is practical and self-centered, expecting Sophie to buy a new house if she gets a chance to earn money, rather than pursuing her expensive dreams. His practical nature does not extend to sharing family responsibilities, as he prefers to watch television after work instead of spending time with his family.

Sophie’s father is also short-tempered, often chastising Sophie for her “wild stories” and dismissing her ambitions and desires. His imposing presence and temper make his children scared of him, highlighting his role as an antagonist in the story. Despite his impoverished financial condition, he indulges in watching football matches and celebrating at the pub, showing a tendency to prioritize his own interests. Described in an unfavorable manner with words like “grimy” and details like the fat rolls on his neck, Sophie’s father embodies the struggles and flaws of the lower middle-class existence, opposing Sophie’s aspirations and contributing to the tension in her life.

Character Sketch of Sophie’s Mother

• Pleasant and Hardworking – Sophie’s mom is a pleasant and hardworking woman who dedicates herself to her family's well-being.
• Practical – She believes in practical, realistic goals and does not share Sophie’s interest in fashion or football.
• Middle-Class Values – Coming from a middle-class background, she measures success by wealth and social status.
• Focused on Financial Stability – She is very focused on ensuring that Sophie and her brother achieve financial stability and success.
• Risk-Averse – She does not believe in taking risks or pursuing impractical dreams.
• Resigned – As a homemaker, she appears resigned to her dreary life, not particularly interested in or close to her children or husband.
• Burdened by Housework – The “delicate” looking bow on her apron symbolizes her overwhelming burden of housework and domestic responsibilities.

Sophie’s mom is a pleasant and hardworking woman who dedicates herself to improving her family's financial situation. Coming from a middle-class background, she measures success by wealth and social status, focusing on ensuring that Sophie and her brother achieve financial stability and success. Unlike her daughter, she is practical and does not believe in taking risks or pursuing dreams that are not practical. She shows little interest in Sophie’s passions for fashion and football. As a homemaker, Sophie’s mom appears resigned to a dreary life, not particularly close to her children or husband. Her character is subtly depicted through the “delicate” looking bow on her apron, symbolizing her overwhelming burden of housework and domestic responsibilities. Despite her pleasant nature, the lack of personal ambition and resignation to her life’s circumstances highlight the contrasting worldviews between her and Sophie, underscoring the generational and aspirational differences within the family.